Problems of identification associated with victims of aerodisaster: the Port Harcourt experience in December 2005

The problems associated with identification of victims after mass disaster such as aero-accident require an elaborate study with an attempt at proffering solutions in the midst of limited facilities.

This is a case study of aero-disaster carried out by the authors at Port Harcourt International Airport on 10th December 2005. Information was adequately disseminated through different media to alert the public to come for the identification of the bodies. The 106 victims were then separated into those whose bodies were intact with few areas of burns, crushed/multiple fractures, those with severe burns, and dismembered or disintegrated bodies.

Problems of identification was noticed in 26 (24.5%) of the victims which form the basis for this study. Those disputed by more than one family n = 11 (42.3%), those without dispute but very difficult to identify n = 6 (23.1%) and those that could not be identified n = 9 (34.6%). The cause of the identification difficulty also ranged from total disintegration of the bodies n = 9 (34.6%), severely burnt bodies n = 12 (46.2%) to those crushed with multiple fractures n = 5 (19.2%).

Problems of identification of severely injured victims of aero-disaster in a limited facility setting can be minimized if strict and well documented pre-travel biometric profiles are taken. Facility for DNA fingerprint, forensic odontologists and forensic anthropologist should be provided. There should also be institution of aviation accident investigation team (AAIT) and mass disaster planning team (MDPT) to aid the identification of victims and probe into the cause and effect of the accident.